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G&G Walnut River Brewery Person of the Week Page 8 Emporia’s new Postmaster Page 6 EGW FEBRUARY 20 AND 21, 2016 V V V PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1895 WWW.EMPORIAGAZETTE.COM V V V Spreading Positivity O N E By Jessie Wagoner [email protected] Three Emporia State University students are on a mission — a mission of spreading positivity. In a world that can often times feel overwhelming Alyssa Grissom, Courtney Romero and Fran Opheim are sharing words of encouragement via YouTube. “It was Alyssa’s idea to start the YouTube channel,” Romero said. “She is just like a shining light to people, just giving them encouragement.” V I D E O AT A T I M E That encouragement started online when the girls were in high school. They would visit Tumblr sites and see people struggling with self harm and suicidal thoughts. Grissom quickly became known as the person to reach out to and Romero says she was always willing to share a positive message. That desire to help grew into making positive videos to share on YouTube. The videos cover a variety of Please see YouTube, Page 3 KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE Fran Opheim and Alyssa Grissom film their “Words of Encouragement” video in their dorm room. Opheim and Grissom are on screen, while Courtney Romero films and edits the videos. KENDRA JOHNSON/GAZETTE Fran Opheim and Alyssa Grissom laugh as Courtney Romero gets a phone ready to film their next “Words of Encouragement” video. ADMINISTRATION HOPES TRAFFIC CHANGE EASES CONGESTION AT EMS By John Robinson [email protected] Karen Madrigal arrives early to pick up her granddaughter from Emporia Middle School. It was a lesson she learned the hard way. “If you don’t get here early you’re out there waiting on the main street forever to get in,” Madrigal said. “You can’t go anywhere, cars are passing you on the left and you’re stuck there because traffic isn’t moving.” Clara Ortega agrees, saying she picks up her grandson from EMS every day. She had only one word to describe the traffic. “It’s bad,” she said. “There’s traffic coming and going, and there are kids crossing the street that you have to watch out for. You just have to be careful.” It’s a problem school officials are well aware of, and will change the flow of traffic starting on Monday in an attempt to fix the problem. “We’re trying to make things safer for the students,” said Shelby Harvel, transportation director for Emporia Public Schools. “We’re all aware that there’s some traffic congestion … between the high school the middle school and even some Timmerman traffic in there.” The change moves student pickup to the rear of EMS. Parents will enter from 24th Avenue to pick students up from the back of the school, before exiting onto Graphic Arts Road. Buses will be AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTS RECEIVE LEADERSHIP GRANT By Jessie Wagoner [email protected] COURTESY PHOTO A map detailing the changes to dropping off and picking up students at Emporia Middle School. Parents will now enter at 24th Avenue to drop students off at the back before exiting onto Graphic Arts Road. School officials hope the change will lead to less traffic congestion. staged at the front of the school. “The hope is, by moving the parent traffic to the back drive, it will give parents more room to queue up and allow the traffic on Graphic Arts to keep moving,” Good Evening Harvel said. “It’s still going to be activities. “Our 4:30 shuttle will continue busy, but hopefully the flow will be to pick up at the back,” she said. moving.” According to Harvel, the chang- “But that’s a time when there’s lites will not affect buses which take Please see Traffic, Page 3 students home from after-school Good news was plentiful for area school districts on Friday morning. Southern Lyon County USD 252, Emporia Public Schools USD 253 and North Lyon County USD 251 were awarded the Leadership Transformation Grant through the Kansas Leadership Center. “We are excited to inform you that Souther Lyon County USD 252, Emporia USD 253 and North Lyon County USD 251 have been granted the Leadership Transformation Grant,” Thomas Stanley with the Kansas Leadership Center said. “You and your organization will have access to $50,000 worth of leadership training in 2016. We hope this catalyzes your progress around the leadership challenges in your schools.” The three districts, which regularly collaborate, will share the $50,000 award. The $50,000 VOL. 124, NO. 199 Be the change you wish to see in the world. —Ghandi Please see Grant, Page 3